News and Views

Construction Zone

Watch for construction and/or renovation of the Science and Applied Studies building (G); Science West (R); North Garage (R); and Pavilion 3 (TP/SS). The College also refurbished all libraries to create a consistent look and feel.

Renovations on Science East wrapped up in time for the spring 2014 semester. The project added much-needed study areas, classrooms, and meeting space for small groups.

The Goldenrod Building at Germantown was renamed the Paul Peck Academic and Innovation Building last November to honor longtime College supporter Paul L. Peck. At Germantown, construction nears completion on the new Bioscience Education Center, the Goldenrod Lane extension, and Holy Cross Germantown Hospital.

Professor of the Year Honored

Kudos keep coming for Dr. Greg Wahl, 2013 Maryland Professor of the Year. Montgomery County Council President Craig Rice issued a proclamation honoring Wahl’s teaching excellence during the council’s January session.

“I’m not really doing anything differently than my faculty colleagues,” said Wahl at the event. “All of the things you just heard [in the proclamation] are what they are doing every day at Montgomery College.”

Wahl came to MC in 2003 as director of the Writing, Reading, and Language Center at the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus; in 2007, he joined the English Department. Currently, he teaches composition and developmental writing; facilitates 10–20 sections of developmental writing courses per semester; and helps secure scholarships for MC students. He has been involved in numerous work groups, committees, and programs—all aimed at helping students.

The US Professors of the Year program, sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), salutes the most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country. It is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards honoring professors.

Got MOOC? Update

The answer was “yes” for the 711 people who enrolled last fall in Get Ready for College English, MC’s first massive open online course (MOOC).

A MOOC differs from a traditional online course in that is usually free, noncredit, and features huge enrollment. The course, designed to prepare students to test into a college-level English course, also aimed to increase access for students who aren’t able to pay for a course.

From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe (and even the United States), participants included middle and high school students—with representation from home-schooled students—college students, working professionals, students studying English, and even faculty from colleges and universities.

“What surprised us, besides the sheer number of students who signed up, was how many international students found the course,” said English Professor Emily Rosado, who designed the MOOC with Dr. Mike Mills, director of distance education and learning technologies.

Rosado, who used the MOOC to supplement her face-to-face course, said her students enjoyed interacting with people from around the world. Many participants plan to take the course again.

Virtues of the Virtual Classroom

Professor Emily Rosado On Why Online Courses Click with Students

Focus

An online course gives me the opportunity to get to know each student and guide him or her thoughtfully without the pressures of watching the clock or worrying about answering every question in one class period.

Equality

Students in an online course do not have to be embarrassed about their accent, worried about their appearance, or distracted by students who are not paying attention. There are no students hiding in the back of the classroom. All students have a voice and everyone's work is equally respected throughout course interactions.

Convenience

Students of all ages are becoming more comfortable with doing things virtually, thanks to the ubiquity of smart phones and tablets. The technology proved to be a real life-saver last semester with all of the weather-related disruptions. My online courses continued smoothly without any need for rescheduling work or extending deadlines.

Results

Across the variety of courses I teach—online composition, literature, and journalism—I see a common denominator: students gain new perspectives from the course material and from ideas shared by their peers, which encourages them to be more open-minded.

Emily Rosado, professor of English, was named a finalist for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Award of Excellence in Faculty Innovation, and was also named the Individual of the Year in Higher Education by the Maryland Distance Learning Association. Rosado began teaching at MC in 2004.